Hi all,

I recently purchased a 98 A4 2.8 Quattro. It was driving fine for a while, and then one day i noticed that the engine seemed just a little bit louder. It isnt exhaust related and its definetly more of a low pitched roar, rather then a whine. I notice it most when im backing up/ slipping the clutch in the parking lot. I also noticed that when i turn the key to the Ac position, the fan turns on immedietly. Also, ive noticed a slight bit of power drop and the power band isnt quite as smooth. The car still idles fine and the noise only shows up when you rev the engine a bit. It isnt incredibly loud either, it just sounds like someone magically dropped a V8 under the hood with the lower growl. i searched and some say it could be the ECT sensor, while other say it could be a waterpump bearing or something with the timing belt. The temperature gauge reads fine, but i do notice that when i open the hood, the car feels extremely hot. This hasnt been a progressive problem either, it just started one day when i took a drive. Thanks for any help